1867.] ^EMBARRASSED BY INTERPRETERS. 191 



why, no one can tell me. The boys with me aver that 

 they are not killed, because the meat is not eaten ! or 

 because they are so tame ! ! 



13th February . — I gave one of the boxes at last, Chita- 

 pangwa offering a heavy Arab wooden one to preserve our 

 things, which I declined to take, as I parted with our own 

 partly to lighten a load. Abraham unwittingly told me that 

 he had not given me the chiefs statement in full when he 

 pressed me to take his cow. It was, " Take and eat the one 

 you like, and give me a blanket." Abraham said " He has no 

 blanket." Then he said to me, " Take it and eat it, and 

 give him any pretty thing you like." I was thus led to 

 mistake the chief, and he, believing that he had said 

 explicitly he wanted a blanket for it, naturally held out. 

 It is difficult to get these lads to say what one wants 

 uttered : either with enormous self-conceit, they give dif- 

 ferent, and, as they think, better statements, suppress them 

 altogether, or return false answers : this is the great and 

 crowning difficulty of my intercourse. 



I got ready to go, but the chief was very angry, and came 

 with all his force, exclaiming that I wanted to leave against 

 his will and power, though he wished to adjust matters, and 

 send me away nicely. He does not believe that we have no 

 blankets. It is hard to be kept waiting here, but all may 

 be for the best : it has always turned out so, and I trust 

 in Him on whom I can cast all my cares. The Lord look 

 ■on this and help me. Though I have these nine boys, I 

 feel quite alone. 



I gave the chief some seeds, peas, and beans, for which he 

 seemed thankful, and returned little presents of food and 

 beer frequently. The beer of maere is stuffed full of the 

 growing grain as it begins to sprout, it is as thick as porridge, 

 very strong and bitter, and goes to the head, requiring a 

 strong digestion to overcome it. 



lUh February. — I showed the chief one of the boys' 



